That Was Then
by Summer's End
Summary: “Thank Agni! You’re alright!” she said. But…the prince looked at her, confusion in his eyes.“Who…who are you?” he asked his lifelong friend. And the days went by like paper in the wind. Everything changed,then changed again. It's hard to find a friend.
1. Chapter 1: A Slave

**Authors Note: This is my first Fan Fic so if its really bad im sorry! plz dont flame me. plz review and give mesuggestions if u can. Thanks so much!**

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar...yet...laughs evily

_And the days went by like paper in the wind. Everything changed,  
then changed again. It's hard to find a friend._

Chapter One: A Slave

Five year old Prince Zuko Of the Fire Nation was at the beach. He was building a sandcastle with his new-found friend. She was the same age as he. She was fairly good-looking. She was about half a head shorter than the prince, with long, blonde hair. She had strange eyes, even for the fire nation. While most fire-benders had yellow eyes but the rest was a normal eye, hers had no white. instead they were completely yellow except for her pupil and a thin line of black that separated the yellow that should have been there from the yellow that was supposed to be white. She wore a short white skirt and a red short-sleeved shirt with an orange tank-top over it. They had been building a sand castle, but they had gotten into an argument.  
"No, we should put a wall around the outside of the moat so too much water won't get into it!" the girl was saying.  
"No, we just need to make the moat deeper!" the young prince said.  
The two had gotten into many pointless arguments such as this one while building their castle but they were quickly resolved. Just then however, Fire Lord Ozai came to take his son home. The young girl immediately sank into a low bow and became completely silent. This was done not only because this was the Fire Lord, but also because in the Fire Nation, women and girls with light hair were thought of as worthless. They had to bow to any man whether he was rich or poor, and they had to do whatever men said, no matter what. Most blonde women were considered a man's 'brainless slaves'. They were under no circumstances allowed to fire-bend although many had the ability, so there were no blonde women in the army. There were only a few women in the whole Nation the were thought of to have any worth at all if they were light haired: the wives and daughters of the Fire Lord and Commanding officers.

"Is this…_girl _bothering you, Prince Zuko?" The Fire Lord said to his son, saying the word 'girl' as if it was some terrible insult.

"No, not really Dad. Terra was helping me build a sandcastle." The young prince did not really understand yet that his blonde friend in the Fire Nation was worthless.

"Listen Zuko, we're going back to the palace and tomorrow we'll find you some better friends. Boys or pretty girls. You see Zuko, blonde girls really can't think for themselves, and this one," the Fire Lord grabbed the girls left hand and showed the prince her palm. In the center of her hand was a brand mark. A Slave-Brand. It was a large O with a Z zigzagging through it and a flame in the center. "Is nothing more than a salve." With that, he dragged the young prince away leaving Terra standing alone on the beach. Watching the waves. The far-away look of memories filled her yellow eyes.

**Once again plz R&R and I would like to make it clear that i have NOTHING against blondes, it just fits my fic.**


	2. Chapter 2: Scarred Memory

**Authors Note: In Chapter one I'm not saying that _all_ women are treated badly. Think Hitler in a sense, but instead of blondie's being though of as perfect, it's the other way around (Note Azula who we now know is real has dark hair, as does Jun.) Also, I won't be able to update very often (sooo sorry) cuz my mom really doesn't approve of the whole "obsessed enough to write fanfic" so I can only write when she's not home cuz the computer is in her room sobs . Right now she's Christmas shopping Yay! so I can write, but please _please _forgive me for not being able to update very often. Anywho! On with the chapter, please r&r no flames please! I'm trying here!**

Disclaimer: Me no owny Avatar, but me do own Terra...hey, I own something! jumps up and down

_A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. _

Charter Two: Scarred Memory

Years passed and Zuko and Terra still played, but it was always in secret. Sadly however, as they got older, they had less and less time together because Prince Zuko had training and Terra, as a palace slave, had many duties. But their friendship remained strong. Though they rarely saw each other when they did they had a blast. Sometimes they would sneak around the palace and play pranks on unsuspecting people, never getting caught. Other times they would explore the forbidden parts of the castle. But their favorite thing to do was to go to the beach, and built spectacular sandcastles. People at the beach always loved to see the two friends. It gave them hope in times of trouble to see two people of complete opposite social class coming together to make something magnificent.

9 years after their first day at the beach…

Terra was running through one of the many hidden passageways built for the slaves inside the thick walls of the palace. She had been eavesdropping in the heating vents of the war room again as she and Zuko sometimes did laughing at never being caught, but today, he was _in_ the war room. Zuko had spoken out against one of the generals plans and was now heading to the Agni Ki arena to duel for his honor.

Being a slave and a girl, Terra was never allowed into the arena, but, like in the war room, she could sneak into the vent system and watch, as she sometime did at Zuko's training (doing this she learned Firebending as well). She watch horrified as the prince was forced to duel his own father, then as he begged for mercy, and finally, how the 14-year old prince of the Fire Nation was scarred, face and heart, forever.

As soon as the arena cleared, Terra ran to her friends side, who had been left to die; the burn he received could kill him, if it weren't treated soon. Just as she got there, he regained consciousness.

"Thank Agni! You're alright!" she said kneeling beside him. But…the prince looked at her, confusion in his eyes.

"Who…who are you?" he asked his life-long friend.

_Oh no! this isn't happening! _she thought. She had heard people say that if someone was severely burned, they could completely forget people they cared about. It was usually only one person forgotten. _And it just had to be me didn't it? Why couldn't he forget Azula? He hates her anyway._ But Terra didn't have time to worry about that problem. At the moment the most pressing issue was the burn on the left side of the prince's face. She took a bottle out of the small pocket in her white skirt. She opened it and gently rubbed the thick paste inside over the burn, saying to him softly,

"I'm here to help. Don't worry." Terra ripped off the bottom of her shirt and wrapped it over the burn, tying it securely. Zuko reached up and felt her handiwork, she had done a very good job, he had to admit.

"Thanks." He said. The girl just gave him a small smile, a real smile.

But at that moment the huge doors of the arena burst open, and in walked none other then Captain Zhao.

"What do you think you're doing Girl!" He yelled, "You were not to help him!" with that, he sent a large fireball at the skinny young girl. She dodged it - mostly. It grazed her right temple, leaving a crescent-moon shaped burn. He raised his fist for another blow, but Terra was too fast for him. She jumped, using Zhao's shoulders to push herself over him. She landed on her feet behind him, kicked him - hard square in the back. She ran.

30 Minutes later…

Terra was running towards the only place she could think of: the beach. She and Zuko used to spend a lot of their time there when the were little, and she now thought of it as a sort of sanctuary. She saw a large ship, but small for a Fire Navy ship, docked in the harbor and ran towards it. As she got near it, she turned a corner. She bumped into (and flipped over) a rather short man. She looked up, her eyes widening in shock.

"L-Lord Iroh, sir, I didn't see you. I-I'm sorry" She stammered. She had never met the retired general before because her friendship with Zuko had to be a secret, but she had often seen him at Zuko and Zula's training. She liked him even though she had never met him because he was one of the very few people who seemed not to completely _worship _Zula, in fact, he seemed to like Zuko better.

"Oh - not to worry dear. Not the first time that that's happened. Tell me, what's your name dear?" the old man said, picking himself up. Terra was a bit stunned. She had not expected this response at all.

"Um…Terra, sir."

"Well Terra, I'm afraid that my nephew's ship is a bit short of crew members, and you seem in a hurry to leave, care to join us?"

"Um, alright, sir." she said, looking back over her shoulder to make sure that Zhao wasn't coming after her, he wasn't.

"My nephew should be her soon. We leave within the hour. Why don't you go to the crew's rooms and make yourself at home, I believe the one across from my nephew is empty."

"Yes sir." she said.

"Oh and please, call me Uncle."

"Yes Uncle." Terra said, hurrying onto the ship.

15 Minutes Later…

Terra was looking out the window in her small room. It showed the large dock and the small sea-side town. Zhao was standing on the dock talking to Iroh. He put a hand a little bit below his chest, as if to show the height of something, her height. He was looking for her. _Oh no! what am I going to do! Iroh will tell Zhao I'm here. Zhao's gonna murder me. _

But, as she watched, Uncle Iroh shook his head. He wasn't going to turn her in after all. Terra sighed with relief.

knock knock knock

"Come in" Terra said, turning around to face the door of her room. Prince Zuko opened her door and walked inside. Terra immediately sank into a low bow, as all slaves (who were all blonde and red head girls) were made to do to all men.

"Please, don't." the prince said. Terra stood up looking confused. "My dad's a little bit of a control freak. Forget the whole bowing thing as long as you're on my ship. I really couldn't care less about all that stuff… so who are you anyway?"

"Terra." She said, fighting the urge to cry at the thought of her best friend truly not knowing who she was.

"Zuko. Nice to meet you." the prince said.

"Yeah…ditto." She turned and looked back out the window.

They were silent for a while so Zuko took the time to observe her features. She was about a head and a half shorter than him, but he knew that they had to be about the same age. She had blonde hair, and strange gold/yellow eyes. She wore a ragged short white skirt and a red t-shirt with an orange tank over it. She was a few shades too thin, but that suited her tiny figure well. After looking at her for a while, the prince concluded that she must be a slave. _This is so weird, he thought, she seems so familiar, but, I don't think that I've ever met her before. Oh well, I must have just seen her around the palace a lot or something. _

"So," he began, "are you a slave back at the palace?"

"Well, I was. But after what I did to Zhao I'm probably just as good as dead." she said, looking back out the window.

"Um…well, thanks, you know, for saving me." the prince said a little awkwardly.

"Yeah, well, slaves duty, I guess." Terra still wasn't looking at the prince, but rather at a few kids fighting on the dock.

"Not really, I was as good as banished when you saved me, meaning that by saving me you were directly going against the Fire Lord himself, so thank you." Terra gave him that smile again. There was something about that smile that The prince loved. It seemed to him as if he'd seen it a million times before, but what he really liked was that it was a real smile, not forced or smiling because someone else was in pain, like most all of the smiles he'd ever seen. Terra turned back to the window, and again sighed with relief to see Zhao walking away.

Half an Hour Later…

Zuko was standing on the deck of his ship alone leaning on the rail, watching the great villages and sandy shores of the Fire Nation, and his home, getting smaller and smaller in the distance. It was hard for him to think that he might never be able to return. He jumped slightly with surprise when someone joined him at the rail. He turned, expecting his uncle, but was even more surprised to see none other than Terra. She didn't say a word, but just stared out over the waves at the place she had also once called home. But now, both of their homes was the ship. Terra really wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad. The Fire Nation was her home. It had been since she was born, but there, she had been treated very unfairly. Here however, she was and equal to some of the crewmen. Zuko had said not to worry about the whole bowing thing as well, which was a relief because she was the only girl on a ship with many men. She watched the shore getting smaller, and when it was out of sight completely, she heard a sad sigh escape the prince. She put a comforting hnd on his shoulder "I'm sorry." she whispered, before turning and going below deck.

**R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3: Iroh's Ideas

**Thanks a million to those who reviewed! **

**I dont own avatar, Nick does, if i did own it i wold not be sitting here writing this, my ideas would be on TV.**

_A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else._

Chapter Three: Iroh's Ideas

A few days after Zuko's banishment, the prince found himself with Terra and the rest of the crew at Iroh's first 'Music Night'. Terra had personally thought that this would be a bad idea since the retired general had suggested it, but she was greatly outnumbered by the crew who all seemed to think it was a great idea. However Terra ideas of fun was NOT watching a bunch a drunk men try to sing or dance, in fact it was close to terrifying. Yet it was surprisingly boring no matter how disturbing it was, and about an hour later she found herself being shaken awake by Prince Zuko.

"Hey, you can wake up now, the horror's over." he said, "You might want to go to bed, we're docking in an Earth Kingdom village tomorrow." Terra picked herself up off the floor where she had been sitting and went to her room.

_Next Morning… _

Terra was up at sunrise as usual and was in the kitchen helping the cook when none other than Iroh came into the small room. _What? He's _**never **_up this early? _

"Is something wrong, Sir?" the cook asked, with a look on his face suggesting that he was thinking the same thing as Terra.

"Oh no, its Docking Day. I have to look through the supplies and see what we need…and Prince Zuko is supposed to help me," he looked around at the few crew members already having breakfast, searching for his nephew, "He must still be asleep, who wants to come help me wake him?" As soon as he said this the whole room froze. _No one _wanted to help, they might not live to tell the tale.

"No one? Terra, why don't you come?" Iroh said. Terra looked at him horrified. He mistook her silence as a 'yes' and proceeded to drag her down the hall to the Princes room.

"Now the key is to make as much noise as possible, otherwise, he'll just ignore us." With that, Iroh took two metal pans and began banging them mercilessly on the Zuko's door.

_10 Minutes Later…_

_How can _**anyone**_ possibly ignore this? _Terra thought, watching the princes nephew beginning to get warn out.

"Why don't you try." Iroh said, panting. Picking up his fourth cup of morning tea.

"Umm…ok…" she took the pan and stood in front of the door, about to hit it when it flew open. Terra found herself looking into the face of the enraged prince of the Fire Nation.

What Zuko saw when he opened the door was a rather funny site, mad or not. Terra had a pan raised to the door, which she quickly hid behind her back upon seeing his face, a sheepish grin on her own. Then there was his uncle, fleeing down the hallway as fast as his short legs could carry him, another pan in his hand. With a last glance at Terra he ran after his uncle.

Terra ran after the Prince and watched as he caught up with his rather slow uncle.

"WHY did you wake me up?" he yelled, temper flaring once more.

"Well, Prince Zuko," Iroh said calmly, "It's Docking Day. I need you to help me check our supplies."

"No, you mean that _I _will check the supplies while _you _drink more tea." the Prince said. A few of the crewmates on the deck laughed, knowing that he was right.

_15 Minutes Later…_

Terra found herself sitting between the prince and his tea-drunk uncle in the supply hold. They, well Zuko and Terra that is, were making a list of everything that they needed, Zuko occasionally shooting death-glares at his uncle, who indeed wasn't helping in the least. He was, as predicted, drinking tea. Terra was sitting between them to keep Zuko from murdering his uncle, though she wished she was on the other side of the room.

_2 Hours Later…_

Prince Zuko, Iroh, and Terra were…attempting to get up. They had been sitting on the floor for two and a half hours straight, their legs having long-since fallen asleep. They finally managed to get up, but the ship jerked sending them back to the floor. When they _did _get out onto the deck the ship was ready to dock.

"Where do you wish to dock, sir?" the helmsman called down to the prince.

"At the end of the harbor." Prince Zuko called back.

_30 Minutes Later…_

The Prince was standing in front of his crew, who were in a line on the shore.

"If I am not mistaken," he began, "Terra has given each of you a list and some money. You are only to buy what is on your list. Meet back here in two hours. Understood?"

"Yes sir." With that, the crew went off in different directions around the town market. Zuko heading back to the ship where his uncle was playing Pai-sho drinking tea.

Terra looked at her list:

_Rhino food_

"_Great._ Why would an Earth Kingdom village sell Rhino food? Oh no, now I sound like Iroh, talking to myself." She muttered. The slave walked over to a stand where an elderly woman was selling jewelry.

"Um, excuse me ma'am?" Terra said.

"Can I help you dear?" The woman asked kindly.

"Well maybe, do you know if anyone around here sells komodo-rhino food?"

"You might want to try Mateeko, the young man at the end of the dock."

"Thank you." Terra said and ran in the opposite direction.

When she got to the end of the dock she noticed sure enough a large building with a peeling wooden sign the read: ANIMAL FEED. She walked in and a horrid smell met her nose.

"Thanks Zuko," she muttered, "give Terra the worst job. But then again you're the prince. Can't imagine you coming to this wretched place…" Just then a young man around her own age of fourteen walked up to her.

"Can I help you, or are you lost, girls don't ever come in here.?" The boy Terra presumed was Mateeko said.

"I'm not lost, princes orders, anyway, do you have any komodo-rhino food?"

"Yes, I think so, follow me." He led her down a row of reptile-bird food, becoming talkative.

"So, this prince, are you two betrothed?"

Terra laughed out loud at this. "No way, I'm a slave on his ship. Do you really think that he would make his future wife go into an animal feed store?" then more to herself then Mateeko added, "Actually, that sounds just like him." She continued laughing at the ridiculous thought.

"What's so funny?" said a voice behind her. She slowly turned around. "Prince Zuko sir! What are you doing here?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh, I was just saying how I can imagine you making your wife come into a animal food store."

The Prince cocked an eyebrow, "And what brought that topic up."

"He asked if we were engaged." Terra said, pointing at Mateeko. Zuko too started to laugh.

"_Me, _Prince of the Fire Nation, engaged to a _slave-girl _HA."

"Hey!" Terra said, giving him a glare, then muttered, "Ass."

"Bitch." The prince shot back.

"Son of a--!"

"Please, stop! Do you two want the rhino food or not?" Mateeko yelled over them. They looked at him startled, they had forgotten he was there."

"Oh right." Zuko said, straitening.

"Follow me."

"Anyway, what _are _you doing here?" Terra asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"My uncles idea, he thought you might need help."

"I was doing fine! I _did_ find the place. I didn't get lost or anything!"

"Tell that to my uncle, can we just get the food and leave. I'd Rather NOT be here anyway."

"Fine."

They kept walking until they got to a pile of bags with 'Rhino Food' written on them.

"Uh…how many do we need?" Terra asked, staring at the bags three times her size.

"Um…two maybe…" Prince Zuko said. Without a word Mateeko and three other boys of about he same age loaded two of the huge bags unto a cart.

"That will be thirty silver pieces sir." Mateeko said. The Prince paid the boy and he and Terra began to push the cart. It took every ounce of strength they had, and the carts wheels dug deep lines in the ground. It took them an hour and a half to get back to the ship, and when they did, they both collapsed. The crew (who had been back for half an hour) looked over the rail of the deck to see the Prince of the Fire Nation laying on the ground, flat on his back. It took everything to keep from laughing, especially when Iroh and a few other crewmates attempted to haul the huge sacks onto the ship. They all rushed to help, but it still took at least twenty minutes to get it on board. As Terra and Zuko lay on the ground, still to tired to move, the same thought ran threw both of their heads: _Thank Agni that tonight isn't Music Night._

**Sorry for the long wait! I have chapter 4 on my laptop, i just have to find a way to get it on to my computer. I won't let me save it on a disk or anything, and it doesn't have internet. Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4: Archery

**Well here it is. Chapter 4. Im sorryx100000000000000000000000000000000000 for not updating sooner. My mom isn't home so im just lucky. I would like to thank the Asianette, Airnomadperson, Master of Air, and Lady Iapetus Roving Wanderer for reviewing! This chapter is for y'all! **

**Also R& REVIEW I have had 463 hit and 4 reviews! come on, you can do better than that!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar…yet…BUT I do own Terra. **

**I'm rambling, so sorry ON WITH THE CHAPTER**

**Summer**

_Give others freedom to be themselves. Appreciate the differences between their ways an yours._

Chapter Four: Archery

Iroh, Zuko, and Terra were sitting on the floor of the ship's small navigation room, looking at a map. They were trying to decide what would be the best place to look for the Avatar. It had been a few weeks since the "Rhino Food Incident" and they had still had no luck whatsoever.

"Maybe we should try Sascaki." Zuko said, studying the map. "It's a small, neutral, Earth Kingdom Island, right there." He explained, pointing to a small dot north of the huge Earth Kingdom.

"I don't know… I think we should head south, I mean, the avatar did disappear from the _southern_ air temple." Terra said.

"But our soldiers just raided the southern water tribe, that's the only place he would have been able to go south, and all the men just left to fight." Zuko argued.

"Exactly. No one would expect him to be there."

"Maybe so, but Zhou is about to attack Sascaki. The avatar might be there in disguise to help them as much as he can."

"But-" Terra began.

"I have an idea." Iroh said, speaking for the first time, as he rather enjoyed keeping a tally over which of the two teen won more arguments. "We could go north first since the attack will be soon, then south if he is not on the island."

"Fine." The other two said in union.

"Good. I'll go tell the helmsman to change our course."

"Why Uncle? We're already heading north?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, but it seems we've run out of rhino food." He said, laughing hard at the two identical looks he was getting: the look of utmost horror.

The stop for rhino food was not such a catastrophe this time, seeing as the whole crew helped, and they were on their way again fairly quick. Zuko and Terra were both thankful that they did not have to spend half a day pushing a cart that weighed more than both of them put together.

Once again they headed north. A few uneventful days passed. Then one morning, right before sunrise, Zuko awoke to the sound of a slightly muffled swish---------------THUMP then "Oh so close that time!" The prince walked out of his room and was nothing less than shocked to see his uncle up at such and early hour. He was standing on the deck of the ship with Terra, practicing…archery.

"I almost got it that time, but I won't stop until I hit that middle!" Iroh was saying as Zuko watched his retired uncle string an arrow and aim for a target they had apparently stuck on the wall. "Ah, Prince Zuko! Just in time! This charming girl happens to know a few things about archery and was just showing me a bit. Why don't you join us?"

"I've already had lessons Uncle, from a _professional_. I'm sure I know more than any slave." Zuko bragged. Terra cockled an eyebrow, knowing for a fact that Zuko had desperately failed archery. It just wasn't his…area of expertise to say the least. Iroh on the other hand, looked absolutely delighted.

"Well then, why don't you and Terra have a little contest, just for fun."

"Oh no, no, no, that's okay, I'm sure Prince Zuko doesn't have time for fun." Terra said, knowing that if the prince started the off bad, he would be biting peoples heads off (more than normal) for the rest of the day.

"Scared?" Zuko taunted. That did it.

"No way," She said, and then added with a smirk, "Go ahead Mr. High and Mighty. I could use a good laugh."

"I'll be the one laughing when this is over." He snapped, nocking an arrow with some difficulty. He aimed at the bulls eye and let it go, scraping his hand in the process. He had shot the arrow extremely hard, it hit the second middle ring. The arrow went all the way through the target and hit the metal of the ship with a resounding CLANG. He had not hit the center, but he had definitely improved.

"Beat that Miss Guess Who's Laughing Now!" he said, handing her the bow. She took it and quickly nocked an arrow without mistake. Barely taking the time to aim, she let it go, hitting the target dead center, without getting a scratch.

"Lucky shot. Do it again." The prince said, not able to completely hide his astonishment. Terra grabbed another arrow and split the first arrow she had shot. Iroh, not wanting to be around when would undoubtedly throw a fit in rage, muttered something about "being out of tea" and vanished below deck. Very unlike himself however, Zuko did not get mad in the least, but asked instead, "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Well, back at the palace," She explained, "I was chosen to help train the YuuYan archers. To do that, I had to learn as well."

The prince hesitated. With a slight blush he said, "Do you think you could teach me?"

"Sure why not? Okay, first of all, you're holding the bow wrong. Try like this." She said, handing hoe the bow after showing him the right way to position it. "And when you shoot it, don't pull on it so hard. That's the biggest problem with guys. It's not all about strength but _precision_. Try again."

Zuko did. He did have talent, just never the right teacher. He hit Terra's arrow actually , but not head-on, so that instead of splitting it, it shot away from the target and the butt of the arrow bounced off the back of the cook's head, who was unfortunate enough to be walking by at the moment. He turned around as Zuko quickly shoved the bow back into Terra's hands (who was now laughing, hard). He gave the cook a sheepish, but "what are you looking at?) look and turned around. And so it went on all afternoon and well into the night. They stopped only when they realized that the entire ship was asleep.

"We should probably go to bed." Zuko said.

"Yeah." Terra agreed, noticing for the first time that she was tired and yawned.

They went below deck and stopped when they got to their rooms (which were across the hall from each other).

"Hey…uh…well…thanks…y'know…" Prince Zuko said awkwardly.

"Yeah, anytime. Well g'night."

"Night." Zuko yawned and went across the hall and fell asleep almost instantly.

**Random Ramble:**

**(scene: after Zuko throws Iroh's Lotus Tile in the river)**

**Sokka: (flying overhead on Appa) Hey Zuko! Anger Managment!**

**Zuko: I DO NOT have anger issues! (he is starting to smoke, iroh cracks and eg on zuko's head) UNCLE!**

**Iroh: Oh i'm so sorry, I forgot the salt!**

**Anywho, i kinda am bored, so in reviews tell me...hmmm, i know! make up another proverb that you think iroh would say. The funnier the better!**

**463 I tell you 463!**


	5. Chapter 5: Pang of Hatred

**I would like to thank firenation and love for her sweet reviews. this chapters for you I have to say, you inspired me to write this at 11 at night thanks, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: hasn't changed...sadly**

_You cannot remove the pain which someone caused for you..as it's too easy to forgive but too hard to forget_

**Chapter Five: Pang of Hatred**

It seemed like she'd barely been asleep five minutes when she was being shaken awake again.

"Terra, Terra wake up!" Zuko said urgently.

"Wha is it?" She yawned and atempted to stretch, but the prince grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of bed.

"There's going to be a terrible storm. We've just docked and we have to get off the ship _now_!" Terra merely groaned and allowed Zuko to pull her out on to the deck, which was completely deserted.

"I guess we're the last one's left, come on. Uncle says we are to find shelter where ever we can and just meet back here tomorrow." Zuko informed her and comtinued to half drag half carry the tired girl.

"K." She said simply and began to do some walking on her own, which the prince was thankful for.

They ran down street after street looking for an inn, but there didn't seem to be one in this small Earth Kingdom town. The rain began to fall, soaking the only two left out on the street.

"Maybe," Terra shouted over the rain, "We should find someone willing to let us stay in their house."

"Worth a try, but we should look for someone akwake."

Then, as if in answer to their prayers, a huge streak of lighting and a deafening clap of thunder bolted trough the sky waking the entire town. The two soaked teens ranm to the nearest house and rapped on the door. A very tired looking man in his twenties opened the door, his wife stood at his shoulder, holding a bawling baby.

"Paato," the woman said, "He won't be quiet." Paato sighed and ushered Zuko and the slave into the house.

"What is it?" he asked over the baby's screams.

"We need a place to stay for the night. We got trapped out in this storm." Zuko answered.

Terra sighed and looked at the baby, "Hand him here." She said to the woman. She gave Terra a confused look but did as she said. Terra took the cryibg baby and sat down on the floor with him, a ways away from the others. She rocked him for a moment, then began to sing:

_I had a dream - of the wide open prarie_

_I had a dream - of the pale morning sky_

_I had a dream - that we flew on golden wings_

_and we were the same - just the same you and I_

The baby was slowly starting to calm down. The others had stopped talking and began to listen to the slaves beautiful lullaby.

_Follow your heart - little child of the west wind_

_Follow the voice - that's calling you home_

_Follow your dreams - but always remember me_

_I am your sister - under the sun_

_We are like birds of a feather_

_We are two hearts joined together_

_We will be forever as on - my brother under the sun_

_Whenever you hear - the wind in the canyon_

_Wherever you see - the buffalo run_

_Wherever you go - i'll be there beside you_

_Cause you are my brother - my brother under the sun_

When see finished, the baby fell asleep againt her. His mother gently took him into the other room, and when she came back she said:

"How did you know that song? I thought that it was only an Earth Kingdom lullaby."

"My mom had many friends in the Earth Kingdom. She always told me to try to make peace with people rather than war."

This was the first time Zuko had ever heard her talk about her mother before. _I wonder if she's still alive?_ He thought to himself.

"Well, then I wonder what she thinks of you now. I saw the boat that pulled in. It's a war ship. I bet your Mom is dissapointed." Paato said rudely. Terra, who had been staring at the floor the whole time, snapped her head up and looked the man straight in the eye with a pang of hatred shining in her golden eyes.

"I wouldn't know what she thinks, she was killed by Earth Kingdom soldiers when I was four. I was there and they made me watch as my mom and many others were killed. After that, I went home to my father who had always hated me because I was blonde, you see I was born noble, but my father only kept me because my mom loved me. When she died, he sold me to Fire Lord Oazi as a slave, and that's where I've been ever since." With one last withering look at Paato, Terra stood up and walked back out the door and into the pouring rain.

**REVIEW OR YOU WILL ALL BE SLAVES TO THE FIRE LORD MWAHAHAHAHA! I hope you like that little insight to Terra's past! Not my longest chapter, but it's like 11 at night here so i'm kinda tired. sry. oh and i don't own the song either, someone famous does. only terra for me. sighs**

**Random Ramble:**

**Scene: After Zuko says: Now would you please put on some clothes?**

**Iroh: First, I must have tea.**

**Zuko: WHAT? You have GOT to be kidding me!**

**Iroh: (looks like he's trying to contain laughter) come prince zuko, i know of a nice little tea house not far from here. I will do wonders for those nerves of yours.**

**Zuko: Whatever**

**TBC**

**until i next update!**

**Love Summer**


	6. Chapter 6: Family

**Thank you: flamekurama'sbloodrose, Nilikeye, BlueSkies817, and firenation and love**

**Y'all are awesome! I would also like to wish Nilikeye good luck! she knows what i'm talking about.**

**Disclaimer: sigh...nothings changed...**

_A friend with break your heart, a friend will mend it, a friend will provide you with every feeling in the world, good and bad. A friend is emotion incarnate._

**Chapter Six: Family**

Zuko had been searching for at least half and hour. He couldn't find Terra anywhere. He couldn't believe all the stuff she had said about her past, it was just...strange. He had thought that she had been born a slave and that her family was still back in the Fire Nation. He would never have guessed with her fun-loving nature that she had had a hard past. _I guess she can relate with me more than I thought..._

It was then that he saw her. She was huddled up in the mouth of a cave outside the town, just watching the rain. He ran over to where she was sitting, but approached her carefully.

"Terra?"

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. That guy was just..."

"Rude?" The prince suggested.

"Yeah."

"Um...look, I'm really sorry about your mom and everything."

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault."

"But it was my family's. My great-grandfather started this war. It was because of this war that the earthbenders killed your mom."

"Zuko, what is family? In your own words." Terra asked him. He looked a bit confused but answered:

"The people who you share blood with."

"Are you sure?"

"Shoudn't I be?

"Well, I think that family is the people that care about you. Not just people with your blood. My father certainly isn't my family. He didn't treat me like family, so I'm am not related to him."

"Wow. I still consider my father family, even though he did this to me." Zuko said, poiting at his scar.

"But Zuko, does he love you though? Or do you have to gain his affection.?"

"I'm sure he-"

"Zuko listen to me. Family don't hurt eachother for speaking their minds."

"I disgraced him! He had every right-"

"No he didn't! You aren't disgraced by people if they are your family, you can disagree with them, but you don't cast them out for trying to save other people!"

"He's trying to teach me to do what's best for my country!"

"No, he's trying to teach you to do what is best for HIM! If your father truly cared about the Fire Nation he would have ended this damn war a long time ago! He just wants to rule the whole world! He doesn't care about his people, or you by what he did!"

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MY FATHER FEELS ABOUT ME FILTHY BITCH!"

"Zuko please, I'm just trying to save you from more pain." Terra said more calmly.

"I don't need your help, or anyone elses! I can take care of myself!"

With that, he walked off to the other side of the cave and sat down to go to sleep.

**Please Reivew! I only have 10, but I've had 463 hits. PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Random Ramble**

_**continued...**_

**Zuko: Whatever**

**Iroh: (grabs zuko, still trying not to laugh) hurry before they close!**

**Zuko: How are we related again?**

**Iroh: well, you see, your afther and i are brothers.**

**Zuko: Oh never mind**

**Iroh: oh there it is! come on! (tries not to laugh)**

**TBC**

**what is he laughing about?**


	7. Chapter 7: Nightmares

**Thank you Nilikeye how did you do? My only reviewer of chpter 6 so far! (Applauds her and gives her strawberries) BTW only 2 hours til The Cave of Two Lovers! Zuko better be in it! **

**PLEASE READ: I am having MAJOR writers block on my poetry collection "At Summer's End". if you have any ideas or inspirations they would be MUCHLY appreciated! Just put them in a review or send it to my through my profile. Thanks : )**

**Disclaimer: Same as always. You know, why do they even make us put these? I mean it is call FAN-fiction. oh well...**

**wish i could stop my rambling problem... ah well on with the chappie.**

_You've got troubles, I've got 'em too. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. We'll stick together to see it through cause you've got a friend in me."_

**Chapter Seven: Nightmares**

Terra woke with a start. Judging by the darkness outside it was still the middle of the night. She started shivering, the rain had turned to snow and it was freezing. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked back and forth trying to warm herself up. She though about what had made her wake so suddenly: a nightmare. First, it had been the day her mother was killed. As Terra watched her 4 year old self on her knees crying and looking up at the earthbender, her younger self changed into the 14 year old Zuko in the exact same position crying as well and begging his father for mercy. She had woken right as he was scarred. She was shaking worse now. This was the first time she had cried since the day her mother died (hey that rhymed). Her body shook with sobbs and tears were running down her cheeks.

Zuko woke from a dream of his own. It was the day he was scarred. He two woke right as the blow came, but he had been having a better dream before that...

_He was 10 and he was on the beach. _once again the dream was blurred. _He was with a friend and again, they were building a magnificent sand castle. It was taller then they were, in fact, the girl was currently on his shoulders reahing as high as she could to put some shells on the top._

_"Zuko can you get me any higher?" she asked in that so-familar-but-i-don't-know-why voice._

_"Yeah." said his younger self hoisting her up even more. "That better?"_

_"Perfect...done!"_

_The two friends stepped back to look at there work, but they didn't notice the man sitting behind a bush, painting a beautiful picture of them and their masterpiece._

_They beach-goers applauded to two, that's when the dream changed._

He looked Terra's way and was surprised to see her shaking with sobbs.

"Terra?" He asked, walking over and sitting beside her.

"Leave...me...alone..."she said through sobbs.

"Terra, I'm sorry for getting mad earlier, is that it?"

"No...you had (sniff) every right to be (hiccough) mad."

Zuko groaned. "No I didn't. I called you a bitch, you're not. You were just trying to help. Even if I still think my father loves me." He put and arm around her soulders and she cried into his. "What _is_ wrong then?"

"Just...a...bad dream...not a big...deal."

"I had a nightmare too. It was...that day."

"That was part of mine (hiccough). The other was the day (sniff) that they, they k-killed her." With that, Terra broke down into tears again. Zuko just rubbed her back and hoped that it was comforting.

"I'm sorry." He said over and over.

"I know. And I am too."

"For what?"

"For everything. For telling you your father didn't love you, and just fir everything that's happened too you."

"No, you don't have to be. Most of it wasn't your fault."

"I know, but sti-"

"Shh. Go back to sleep."

"But-"

"No buts. We have to go out in that strom tomorrow and I don't think you wnat to be tired for that."

"Okay. I guess you're right." A little later her breathing evened out. Zuko stayed with her. They were both frozon in their thin pajamas.

"I guess we'll just have to keep eachother warm." He said to himself, since she was asleep. He got into a more comfortable postition and was soon deep in sleep once more. Without the nightmares to disturb him.

**R&R! Was Zuko to OoC in this chapter?**

**Random Ramble:**

_**continued...**_

**They walked into the tea house and the people there turned away form the, hiding smiles and laughter.**

**Zuko: (looking at Iroh who is still trying to hide laughter) WHAT IS SO FUNNY!**

**Iroh: (finally bursts out laughing) oh...Prince Zuko...you...I...changed your ribbon earlier!**

**Zuko: (blank look on his face) what?**

**Iroh: (holds up mirror)**

**Zuko: (screams in furry) WHY DID YOU PUT A _PINK _RIBBON IN MY HAIR!**

**Iroh: (rolls on the floor holding his side he is laughing so hard)**

**Zuko: (pulls super glue out of pocket and glues ribbon to irohs forhead)**

**Iroh: (stops) laughing, looks inmirror, starts laughing again)**

**Zuko: How am I related you?**

**wow how lame was that? anywho can't wait for next episode! R&R**

**Love Summer**


	8. Chapter 8: Back at Last

**So how sad was that episode? It almost made me cry when Saun showed him her leg and he realized what pain his father was bringing to people. The parts with sokka and the nomads was pretty funny though. I really hope Zuko wasn't too OoC in the last chappie please tell me if he was! **

**If you need a title for a fic on avatar, just ask me cuz i have a ton!**

**Also: I dedicate this chapter to Nilikeye! My only reviewer for the last two chapters. Thanks a million! (gives her strawberries) If you havn't read her fic "How You Changed" READ IT! it really good.**

**Disclaimer: What do you think?**

_Friends are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you."  
_

**Chapter Eight: Back at Last**

Terra yawned and streched. She looked at Zuko who was still asleep, then out at the forever growing storm.

"I guess a few more minutes can't hurt. Er! Talking to myself again! crap shut up! Oh great, now i'm arguing with myself!" She said out loud. She got up and walked to the mouth of the cave. She baga to shiver,wearing only a tank top and skirt in a blizard is not a pleasent experience.

"Actually, Zuko, wkae up! We should go now, before it gets even worse." She said, shaking him.

"Whasgoinon?" He asked sleepily.

"We need to leave now."

"Oh, ok." Zuko said, standing up. "Whoa. That's bad."

"Yup, come on."

They walked outside the cave and they both shivered like mad, but they kept wlaking. Thinking of the warm ship they were going back to. Lucky for them, Zuko was a firebender so he produced a small flame in front of them to keep them from freezing to death. They walked on and on until finally, the ship came into sight. They yelled with joy and ran to it as fast as humanly possible. They got onto the deck to find the crew all there, well, all but one.

"Where's Uncle Iroh!" Zuko yelled over the storm.

"He stopped for tea, but he said he would be here about an hour ago!" Ji yelled back.

Zuko growled. "Him and his damn tea obsession!" He walked ba off the ship and int town, returning fifteen minutes later with his uncle. "Helmsman! Reset our course to the previous one, before the storm!" The helsman nodded and the ship set off once more...:Later:...

Terra had taken a shower and washed her clothes. Ahe felt a lot better, but she noticed she was hungry. She wrapped her blanket around her shoulders and set off for the kitchen. When she got there, Zuko was already eating. The cook set out another luch next to him saying "I thought you'd be here soon." They ate in silence for awhile, then Zuko said, "Don't you have anything warmer to wear? I'm surprised to didn't freeze to death last night."

"Well, its not ever cold in the Fire Nation, so this is all they give the slaves."

"Come with me." Zuko said, standing up and walking out of the kitchen. He led her to his own roon and went straight to the closet. He pulled out a sweatshirt and some pants. "They'll be big on you, but it's better than that." he said, holding out the clothes to her.

"Are you sure you want me to have them?"

"Yeah, here." She took them and went behind the changing screen, when she came out Zuko burst out laughing, something he didn't do often. Terra walked over to the mirror and laughed as well. She was so tiny that the swaetshirt came almost to her knees and the sleeves went at least six inches past her hands. She had to roll the pants up about eight time to stop them from dragging the floor.

"What's so funny?" Iroh, who had been walking by the princes room when he had actually heard his nephew laughing, asked. Terra turned from the mirror and Iroh cracked up. In fact, anyone who saw her that day laughed. _Oh well, it beats being cold. Everyone things that Zuko is some mean, nasty, heartless beast, but he can be really thoughtful sometimes. _These were her last thoughts before she drifted off to sleep that night.

**So was it terrible? Thankfully its spring break here so i will probably be able to update more often for the next week YAY! anywho please review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Happy 15th

**Thank you's and starwberries to: Kira-Blackwolf, Nilikeye, LittlrCountryDragon, and breathlesslove! And I have to say, That Was Then has had 883 hits and 15 reviews! Y'all can do better than that!**

**NOTE: I said something about a 15th birthday of zuko's in an earlier chapter, but i deleted it cuz i found a better place to put it!**

**Disclaimer: Let's ask ourselves, raise your hand if you honestly think I own Avatar.**

_When it hurts to look back and your scared to look ahead you can look beside you and your best friend will be there._

**Chapter Nine: Happy 15th**

There was a knock on the prince's door.

"Enter." Zuko said tiredly. Terra went in to find the banished prince laying on his bed, in his pajamas, staring at the ceiling. It was almost sunset and Zuko hadn't left his room all day, not even for food.

"Uh, is everything ok?" she asked, sitting on the foot of his bed.

"I'm fine."

"Well, I just came in to say happy 15th." Terra said, placing a small package on his stomach, "This is from me." Zuko propped himself up on his elbows and unwrapped it. Inside was a woman's wedding ring. I had a gold band with diamonds and rubies alternating around a piece of amber in the center.

"This was my mom's! How did you get it! I thought my father took everything valueable she owned and added it to his treasury when she died."

"I...I was there, when she died, that is. She told me that she wanted you to have it."

"That's where it went! My father was furious after it disappeared!"

"Well, I think your mother knew that you loved her more than your father did, so I guess she thought you should have something special."

"Thank you. I really couldn't have asked for anything better."

"I'm glad you like it, but it really was your mom who gave it to you, I'm just passing it along."

"You still had to keep it hidden from my father when he went on rampage."

"Yeah, but that wasn't hard. There are so many secrets in that castle that only the slaves know about." She didn't mention that she had shown them to Zuko as well, when the were younger.

"Thank you anyway." He said, putting the box on his bed beside him. "Does Uncle know?"

"No, no one does."

"Good. Come on."

"Come on where?"

"Out here." He said, leading out onto the deck where the sun was setting in all it's fiery glory, causing the clouds to turn pink, orange, and purple. The sun itself was a bright, glowing red.

"It's beautiful." Terra whispered. Together they sat and watched the sunset, then once it was no longer visalbe, they laid in their backs and tried to find shapes in the millions of stars above them.

"I've never done this before. Who knew that lying on a cold metal floor could be fun?"

"Back at the palace, some of the othe slaves and me would do this every chance we got. It's amazing to think how much more there is out there. We feel small compared to Earth, Think, what if we were compared to the universe?"

"Yeah." He said. Terra yawned.

"Maybe we should go to bed. We should be getting to Sascaki tomorrow."

"K." She yawned again.

They walked back below deck and stopped in the hallway between their rooms.

"G'night, and happy 15th." Terra said.

"Thanks again for the ring. It was perfect."

"Hey, what are friends for? See ya tomorrow."

Zuko walked into his room and thought about what see had said. _Hey, what are friends for?_ No one had ever said that to him before, much less admitted to being his friend. _How could anyone think of me as their friend? _he thought. But then he remembered the dreams that had been plauging him for some thime now. _Well, maybe someone does, and I'm not complaining._

**I don't like this chapter, I think Zuko was to OoC. Anywho remember _883!_ Thanks agin to all who reviewed!**

**Love Summer**


	10. Chapter 10: Of Hats and Hyper Men

**I am soooo sorry for not updating sooner, but I've been grounded (ack) and I finally can be on the computer again!**

**Thank you's and strawberries to: Nilikeye and breathlesslove! they are my only Chapter Nine reviewers! Why can't everyone be like them?**

**I have had _1058_ hits on this fic and _19_ reviews! What is up? how hard is it to say simply "good" or "terrible" ? Come _on_ y'all! I try to review everything I read! Nili and BL: YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! I dedicate this chappie to you 2!**

**The swamp was awesome! The Blue Spirit Returns oh yea! Finally! Oh and I can't wait til ep. 27: Zuko Alone! I give it 1000000000000000000000000000000000 out of 10 just for having "Zuko" in the title! **

**Oh and I would also like to tell you, since I posted a poem about Teen Titans, that my Terra is named after Terra in Teen Titans, she is like my all-time favorite character in that show and so this is just my little way of connecting my two favorite shows, but they in no way are the same character. **

**Disclaimer: Must I keep repeating myself?**

_The most beautiful discovery that true friends can make is that they can grow separately without growing apart._

**Chapter Ten: Of Hats and Hyper Men**

They arrived at Sascaki almost an hour ago. Iroh had insisted that they wear Earth Kingdom disguises, so he sent Terra into town (because she had the most normal clothes on already) to get as many as possible. She returned to the hidden ship about half and hour later with as many earth kingdom clothes as she could carry. There was enough for most of the crew, but they all looked completely ridicules and most felt that way as well (accept Iroh of course). Terra (who had not wanted to waste time by going into a women's clothing store) was wearing the smallest pair of men's pants and shirts that she could find in an adult sized store. But the shirt alone was like a dress and the pants were extremely baggy. Zuko had looked fine, until his uncle gave him the hat. It was huge, made of straw, and just plain ugly. Iroh had practically forced his nephew to wear it, find an identical one for himself.

"Uncle, we look retarded!" **(a/n: I don't think the word 'retarded existed back then, but it just sounds like something Zuko would say) **

"Come Prince Zuko, give it a chance." Iroh said, not noticing that it was taking every fiber of Zuko's being to not make a bonfire out of the hat on the spot.

"Whatever! Our cover-up story is this, if anyone asks: We're refugees from…Kangaroo Island, and we only need to stay here for a few days." Zuko said, clearly making it up on the spot, "Well, here goes nothing." With that he walked straight into the Earth Kingdom city

"OK, split up and look for a place that has room for," he paused to do a head count, "Ten people." They divided into groups and headed out.

"Oh, Prince Zuko, look at some of this." Said Iroh, looking at some of the outdoor booths, "Everything is so elaborate!"

"Uncle, don't get any ideas," Zuko said, eying a very creepy monkey statue, "As far as they know, we are refugees, meaning we are POOR." He turned to Terra, who was the other member of the group, "I'm sure you've heard of my uncle's shopping sprees."

"Yeah, they seem to be cursed…"

"…to say the least." Zuko added, "Hey, let's check this place out." He pointed to a fairly decent looking inn. They went inside and a very hyper man came running up to them.

"Canihelpyouwithsomethingdoyouwantaroomforthreeorshouldthegirlhaveherownroomorareyouallfamilysoitdoesn'tmatterorperhapstheyoungonesareengagedandwouldlikearoomforthemselvesormaybe-"

Terra was the only one who could understand what he said so she cut him off before he said anything else that might make her either laugh or beat him to a pulp. "Do you have a room for ten?"

"Ohyeswehaveonebigroomthatfitsfifteenifyouwouldlikethat!" He said, faster if that was even possible.

"Yes, that's fine." Zuko said, after Terra had translated, "Terra, go find the rest of the crew and meet back here in an hour."

"Right." She said, and ran out the door.

Finding them wasn't that hard, since they all knew that Zuko would find them a place to stay they had headed for the nearest bar instead. She wound her way through all the drunk men until at last she found Lt. Ji.

"Prince Zuko found a place." She told him quietly.

"Did he now?" Terra was disgusted by his breath, but remained calm.

"Yes. Get the rest of the crew and follow me." She whispered in a commanding voice.

"Why don't you stay here with me Sweetheart? Have a drink why don't you?" He said, reaching out to grab her, but she was too quick and dodged his hand and ran out of the bar.

Ten Minutes Later…

Terra ran into the inn.

"Where's our room?" She asked the hyper man.

"Downthehalllastdooronyourleft." He quickly told her.

Terra ran into their room where she saw fifteen beds all pushed together in the middle of the floor. Zuko was sitting on of the beds, his uncle on another…drinking tea.

"What's wrong?" Iroh asked, seeing the look on her face.

"We've got a _little _problem." She said, "The whole crew is over at the bar, all completely drunk."

"WHAT!" Zuko yelled, fists flaming, "Which bar? I'm going to _kill _them, they could have broken our cover!"

"Wait!" Terra said, blocking the door.

"WHY? OUT OF MY WAY!"

"You can't let these people know that we're Fire Nation." Terra explained, trying to stay calm, "If you burn the bar down, I think they'll notice. Just go get them now, kill them later."

"FINE!" He spat and stomped out of the room.

"Well, I think I'll go to bed now." Terra said to Iroh, who nodded. She walked down the long row of beds, getting to the last one, she climbed in and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

**Please R&R! Oh and if you wanna here something funny keep reading…**

**OK so my best friend Taylor and another friend of mine named Jade were over here, well, we found this site that took your real name and turned it into a Chinese name. Well, mine was Kaiyin & Taylor's was Kaiyang note the yin and yang. Jade's was Zhou. Tay and I laughed for so long about that. It was pretty funny. Anywho lotsa love to my reviewers! And remember: 1058!**


	11. Chapter 11: Times Gone By

**Thank you's and strawberries to Nilikeye, breathlesslove, and Zukosbabygirl they are the reason for this new chappie. If i had a picture of zuko, i would give it to them. _1318_ hits and_ 31 _reviews. PATHETIC. Review people, its not that hard! i mean, if you take the time to read someone's fic you must have one more minute to tell them what you thought! You know that if you review, your name will be mentioned in the a/n of the next chappie no matter what, even if you flame me! Anywho I won't ramble today if I can help it.**

**Disclaimer: Gee I wonder...**

_My wish upon this shooting star is that your heart be happy.  
_

**Chapter Eleven: Times Gone By**

Prince Zuko stormed into the large room a few minutes later, he still drunk crew behind him. He had to literally _drag _them out of the bar and that didn't put him into any better mood.

"JUST GO TO BED!" He yelled at them. Making Iroh and Terra stir in their sleep, he didn't care though. He threw the wreched hat on the floor and watched his crew climb into the bed on Iroh's end (opposite Terra if i didn't mention...). He had to get away from them, so he chose a bed near the other end and went to sleep.

_Seven year old Prince Zuko was at the beach in another blurry dream. He saw a fuzzy figure about his age run up to him._

_"Hi Zuko." She said with a young voice that he had heard many times before, but couldn't place._

_"Hey." He said, and then they started once again to build a magnificent sand-castle and soon there was a small crowd gathered around them._

_"They're really good, especially for being so young." One man said to another._

_"Yeah, that's Prince Zuko and his slave. They're the best on the beach. They're a man that's been painting them at since they were five years old. One every year, and they still don't know that he's been doing it."_

Suddenly, the dream changed...

_"Stand and fight Prince Zuko..."_

_"I won't fight you."_

_"You will fight for your honor..."_

_"Please, Father, I meant you no disrespect, I am your loyal son."_

_"You will learn repect, and suffering will be your teacher..."_

_Then, Oazi raised a flaming fist at his son and then..._

Terra woke with a start. The rest of the crew was back and in bed, but when she looked at the prince a few beds down, she grew worried.

"Won't fight..." He mumbled, twisting in his sleep.

"Oh no." Terra whispered to herself. She walked over to his bed and began to shake him, "Zuko...Zuko wake up. Zuko!" She whispered again. He jerked awake.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine, why did you have to wake me up, don't tell me the crew snuck back to the bar..." He said, starting to get out of bed, but Terra pushed him back down.

"The crew's all here, but you were twisting and muttering in you sleep. Something about 'won't fight.' Are you sure your fine."

"Yes, it was just a bad dream. Go back to sleep." He rolled over and would not talk to her anymore.

When he was asleep, Terra looked at him sadly. His father had changed him so much by giving him that scar. This wasn't the same Zuko she had known two years ago. She pulled a locket on a long chain out from underneath her shirt. It wasd her most prized possesion, given to her by her mother. It was a gold heart with the word "Peace" on one side and "Peserverence" on the other. Terra gently opened it to reveal a picture of her mother, and her one one side and on the other was her three brothers. A folded peice of yellowing paper fell out into her lap. She opened it slowliy and looked at the painting and the poem that was on it. The painting was made on the day of Zuko's 14th birthday - before he got the scar. He had Terra on his back, they were both smiling. Behind them was a spectacular sand castle (an old tradition for them) blocking out almost all of the view behind it, but still visible was a sliver of a beautiful Fire Nation sunset. A man on the beach had asked to do a birthday painting of them when they finished. He had given it to Zuko as a gift, but the prince had given it to her. Before he did though, he wrote this poem on the side:

_As we go on, we remember,_

_All the times we had together,_

_And as our lives change,_

_Come whatever,_

_We will still be,_

_Friends Forever._

Zuko had wrote that as a promise to her, that no matter how bad things got for either of them they would always stick together. Terra knew she had kept up her end of it on that day that seemed ages ago, when she saved him from death. The slave sighed, folded it back up, put it into the locket, closed it, and put it back beneathe her shirt. "If only things didn't have to change." she said, before lying back down and tried to get some sleep.

**Well: Chapter 11! again so sorry for not updating! Sorry for the shortness, Mom's gonna be home any minute. Please Review!**


	12. Chapter 12: Wake Up Call

**Howdy-do few readers! Thank you's and strawberries to Nilikeye, kittymir, and Mystic.Moonlight817(read her story: Separate Hearts) for the reviews! Love yall dearly not queerly! also, I have _34 _reviews and _1442 _hits! come on yall pleeeeeeease review! REVIEWS ARE GOOD FOR THE SOUL!**

**Disclaimer: don't own it yada yada yada...**

_I don't remember how we happened to meet each other. I don't remember who got along with whom first. All I can remember is us together...always._

**Chapter Twelve: Wake Up Call**

Terra opened blurry eyes to find that rain was pouring in the open window. She hurriedly drug herself out of bed and closed it. Though the sky was dark with clouds, the slave could tell it was morning.

"Should I wake them up?" she wondered out loud. "Na, I'll get breakfast first then maybe they'll be awake and I won't have to wake them at all. And I have got to stop talking to myself..." She stood up, stretched, and walked out of the room.

15 minutes later...

Terra walked back into the room to find that the nine others were still asleep. She quietly approached the prince's bed, thinking that he should make the final decision about the rest of the crew. She shook his shoulder gently at first, then harder.

"Whazgonninon?" He asked stupidly.

"Wakey upy time." She said like a mother talking to her three-year old.

"Haha." He said sarcastically, "What time is it?"

"I can't really tell. It's pouring outside."

"Well, then what time do you _think_ it is? He asked, not even trying to hide his annoyance.

"Uh...I would say...maybe Seven-ish?" Terra said, looking out the window.

Zuko leaned beak into the pillows, rubbing his eyes. "Wake the crew up."

"Without a word, Terra went around and shook all the men awake. Many complained about hangovers.

"Well, you had it coming, seeing as how you went ou and got yourselves drunk last night instead of helping us." Zuko, who was now up and putting on his Earth Kingdom clothing.

"Now what?" Said Iroh, who had pulled a tea cup from his sleeve.

"Now, we find the avatar."

They had searched the island for two days straight with nothing to show for it. Zhou's attack was planned for the next day.

"What are we going to do!" The prince yelled, kicking a table in their room.

"Well, you could admit that I might be right and head our course for the South Pole." Terra suggested hopefully. The prince threw her a glare. "Or not..." She said, "Um, I think I'm going to go get some fresh air." With that, she got up and left the room.

"You know Prince Zuko," Iroh said when they were alone in the room. "You really should try to be nicer to her."

"Why? She's just a damn slave!"

"She may be a slave, but she is still a human being."

"But my father -" The prince was cut off by a scream. He and Iroh ran outside to see none other than Captain Zhou hold Terra, bound and gagged.

"Let her go Zhou!" Zuko yelled as he ran at the man he hated ever so much.

"Why? This little bitch broke the Fire Lord's law _and _tried to kill me!"

"_She_ didn't try to kill _you_, _you_ tried to kill _her_!" Zuko yelled before Iroh could ask. They had not told Iroh about the day she had saved him.

"You have no proof of that!" Zhou yelled back triumphantly. Zuko strode over to Terra who had not been able to talk the entire time and pushed the blonde hair away from her right temple, revealing the crescent shaped scar.

"There's your proof." He spat, his voice dangerously low, with that, he pried Terra out of Zhou's hands and brought her back to their room. Once there, He put her on one of the beds and took the gag out of her mouth, then he started to untie her.

"What happened?" Iroh asked as he walked into the room.

"Simple, I walked outside, he was raiding a nearby food stand, he saw me, said "You!", grabbed me, tied me up. That's when I screamed and you guys came out."

"No, I mean, what did you do to make him say that you broke the law, and why did he try to kill you?"

"Oh, well, um, you see, um, about that…" She studdered, not knowing what to say. She didn't want to hurt Zuko's pride and say that he was saved by a girl, but she didn't want to lie to Iroh either.

"She saved my life." Zuko said instead. "I would probably have died the day of the Agni - Kai if she had not been there. That's the first time I had ever seen her. That's why I told you that if Zhou showed up and asked you were supposed to tell him you had never seen her."

"So that was it!" Terra said suddenly, "I wondered why you told Zhou I wasn't their."

"Yeah."

"So, Zhou hates Terra because she saved you…" Iroh said slowly.

"Yeah, but he might still have a bruise on his back too." Zuko said with smirking at Terra.

**Yeah, I kinda hate this one, oh well, I hope yall like it at least, cuz my opinion really doesn't matter. Please Review and Thanks again to those who do!**


	13. Chapter 13: Pride and Prejudice

**Hey, yes, it's Summer (Finally). I would just like to say that I am no longer going to be writing on this fic, BUT, my new fic Pride and Prejudice (not based on the book or movie, just a name), will have the whole rest of the Terra story along with some other characters and this time it will also show "Team Avatar". It's kinda like a rewrite of this story, but it doesn't have what I have already written in this on in it. It just continues on. Please read it and review!**

**- Love Summer -**


End file.
